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MONTREAL, Nov. 13 /CNW Telbec/ - Rendez-vous November 2007 - Montréal,
Cultural Metropolis ended today with a common resolve to act. The partners
agreed on the implementation of the 2007-2017 Action Plan, which is intended
to promote greater access to culture for citizens, investment in cultural
infrastructure and funding for arts organizations; promote Montréal in Quebec,
in the rest of Canada and abroad; and increase the number of cultural and
tourism events.
The five key partners will continue their work by meeting at least twice
a year as part of a policy committee, which will oversee the implementation of
the Action Plan and the co-ordination of sectoral round tables, and ensure
ongoing follow-up to the Rendez-vous November 2007 event.
The Mayor of Montréal noted that the combined efforts of the three levels
of government, the cultural community and the business sector in organizing
such an event devoted to culture constituted a first in Canada.
"The dynamic action plan we have today prioritizes culture in Montréal.
We now have a collective plan and the means to speed up the city's development
through culture, so as to establish Montréal as a cultural metropolis at the
international level. The closing of Rendez-vous November 2007 marks the
beginning of a new chapter: We have a plan, a vision and projects," said
Montréal Mayor Gérald Tremblay.
Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Status of Women and
Official Languages, added that "in supporting the Action Plan, the Government
of Canada will be able to play an effective and responsible role in making
Montréal, Cultural Metropolis a reality and in promoting Canadian culture
across the country and abroad. We are proud to contribute to the success of
Montréal, Cultural Metropolis, which is an event unlike any other that has
given a large number of stakeholders at every level the opportunity to bring
to the fore the importance of art and culture in the lives of Canadians."
"Rendez-vous November 2007 provided a forum for fruitful discussion
reflecting a common resolve to rely on our innovativeness to promote the
cultural, economic and social development of Montréal and that of the country
as a whole," said Michael M. Fortier, Minister Responsible for the Region of
Montréal. "The Government of Canada is proud to join forces with its partners
in the public and private sectors to build Montréal's reputation as one of the
world's most important cultural metropolises."
"Culture is a major asset to Montréal's development and represents the
city's soul. Montréal's creators, performing arts, strengths in design,
creativity and thousand-and-one forms of cultural expression give the city its
identity and diversity, as well as the beauty of which we are all so proud
when we speak of our cultural metropolis," said the Quebec Minister of
Culture, Communications and the Status of Women, Christine St-Pierre.
The Quebec Minister of Economic Development, Innovation, Export Trade and
Minister of Tourism, Raymond Bachand, maintained that the discussions held
during the two-day event have made it possible to increase dialogue with a
view to strengthening Montréal's cultural vision. "Culture is the soul of a
nation, and creativity is the soul of our city. In addition to fuelling
economic development, culture is a unique outlet for expression; it arouses
passion, it mobilizes people. With more funding for our libraries, our
artists, our creators and the Quartier des Spectacles, Montréal will be able
to compete with the world's biggest cultural metropolises," said Mr Bachand.
"What has gone on here in the last two days could only have happened in
Montréal, and this is why we strongly believe in the future of Montréal,
Cultural Metropolis. We now have a solid action plan and the commitments
needed to carry it out," concluded Simon Brault.
"I have often said that making Montréal a cultural metropolis is
something that I hold dear because I firmly believe that our city's
development and achieving our greatest aspirations to growth and prosperity
are tied to culture. I invite all of the stakeholders who took part in
Rendez-vous November 2007 to seize the marvellous opportunity that lies before
us in order to ensure that culture continue to contribute to Montreal's
success and to enhance the city's identity here and abroad," said Isabelle
Hudon, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal.
Mr Tremblay thanked the members of the Steering Committee for their
commitment and their work since 2005, without which the event, held at
Montréal's Palais des Congrès on November 12 and 13, would not have been
possible.